Memoirs Of The Freemasons Of Naples.

Levy was obliged to quit Naples , and in a few days after he was ordered to quit Italy also . He went to Switzerland , Erance , Holland , and Germany , and was everywhere graciously received by the lodges , and looked upon as a martyr of the society , and maintained by the hel p of the National Lodge of Naples . Though Balh was the only Freemason among the

prisoners , they all equally obtained for their families benefits from the society , not only in money , but hy every other means necessary to soften their situation . 'The most zealous among their members daily assembled in the houses of some of their principals , virtuous men , whose greatness of soul and serenity of mind inspired the brethren witli the beneficent and amiable virtues of

charity . Several among them distinguished themselves hy such acts of generosity as were never forgotten by the objects of it . Persuaded of the King ' s benevolence and justice , the } - reached the- throne with the complaints of oppressed innocence , and endeavoured to undeceive his Majesty in regard to the conduct of Pallante . But all these designs were frustrated ; Pallante had art

sufficient to parry the stroke levelled against him , and even to procure for himself such a position as ivould effectually crush his enemies at once . 'Without ceasing to be Commissary , lie was made Fiscal . In that capacity he was ordered to lay before the tribunal the slate of the ease , to examine the witnesses , and all the evidence

relating to the trial . Sufficiently sheltered from tho attacks of his enemies , their fate seemed to bo in his hands ; the accused saw themselves at once deprived of all hope and means of defence . The steps that had been taken against him enraged him more than ever ; the witnesses that were to give in their evidence before him

ferst not betray their patron . The villains ivere his accomplices and his clients , the accused were his enemies ; wickedness was on the point of triumphing ; the honour of the society was attacked without the means of defence . Everything appeared as lost since Pallante was made Fiscal * The unhappy prisoners , deprived of all' resources , wept their deplorable fate in their dismal and dark cells , when the God of compassion

awakened in their favour a powerful friend and a formidable enemy to their traitors . Tho Queen was moved with compassion at the recital of their unhappy fate . The Grand Master of the National Lodge of Naples had by means of a court lady petitioned the Queen in favour of the society , and in his letter to that princess had iven a faithful account of

g their institution , their brotherl y love , and their charity . Her Majesty had enjoyed the sweets of a most lively friendship for many years previous in tiie agreeable society of the lady above mentioned , '; such a friendship as is rarely to be met with at court ; aud to which union of hearts was joined tho heavenl y virtue of charity and

universal benevolence . As soon as the Queen had been informed of the whole detail of this horrid plot , like a tender and compassionate mother , she was determined not to suffer any longer thc oppression of so many innocent men , and their unhappy families ; and she * easilv penetrated the mystery of this dark combination . Fully d that

persuade , ^ through the labyrinth of a Court , truth does not easily find its way to the throne , she determined to carry the petition herself to the King . What a sublime and touching scene ! Truth and innocence pleading their cause by the mouth of a Queen like Caroline , and before a King generous and humane as Ferdinand . His Majesty was astonished to hear the recital of facts ah of which had been unknown to him .

The Queen moved his compassion by a representation of the same images that had touched her heart . Their cause found other defenders besides the noble persons already mentioned . The Duke A of S . T . aud his lady spoke to the King in favour of the society with all the warmth that oppressed innocence inspires in the minds of virtuous and elevated souls like theirs .

The counsellor for the prisoners , on the other ha id , having represented very weighty reasons to the triluaal of justice for the exclusion of Pallante from the office of Fiscal , that court found them just and lawful ; in consequence , Pallante was discharged . This gentleman was the Marquis D'Avenacounsellor to the tribunal of

, Sancta Clara , member of the Eoyal Court of Justice , and Solicitor for the Poor . By virtue of his office , it was his duty to defend the cause of the accused , but , as he had until then entertained a very indifferent opinion of Freemasons in genera ] , his prejudice urged him to petition the King to dispense with his assistance in a cause so

directly opposite to the movements of his conscience . This was the very thing that induced the Marquis Tenucci , by his influence with his Majesty , to refuse his request . D'Avena then found himself obliged to gain a more exact knowledge of the nature and regulations of the society , and he soon found , to his very great satisfaction , that he was engaged in an excellent cause , and from that moment showed so much zeal in the defence of

the society , that the minister was desirous of removing him from his employment , should he persist in their defence in the manner he had begun . D'Avena was deaf to all remonstrances , and implicitly followed the dictates of his conscience and strict justice . Tenucci . menaced him with the loss of all his employments ; but the King , Jin order to convince him that he did not at

all times suffer himself to be governed by his Minister , so far from depriving him of any part of his employments , appointed him Counsellor to the lloyal Chamber of Justice , and Capo di Euota , or one of the chiefs of the tribunal of that name ; lie accompanied this favour with such expressions of kindness as are equally honourable to the

Master and the subject . The place of Fiscal was given to Don Cesare Euggiero , who undertook with great zeal , and in a public manner , to defend the person of his predecessor . As he was bilious by nature , and had very little knowledge of the laws , his choler got the bettor of his reason , and this

lie sufficient ] } ' showed in tbe imprudent speech he made against the Marquis D'Avena , and the Freemasons in general . Government expecting sound reason instead of buse , his speech ( whicli he had printed ) was publicly condemned as an absurd libel , and accordingly suppressed . Euggieroivho thought he had produced a

mas-, terpiece of its kind , survived this catastrophe but a very short time . Much about the same period the Marquis Tenucci lost his employment ; and many believed that his persecution of the Freemasons was the cause . Whatever ivas the

reason , it is certain that from that moment the attacks upon tho society became much less violent . Tho same reasons ivhich had deprived Pallante of his office engaged the Council of State to resume the proceedings , and order a fresh hearing of the cause ; at the same time liberty ivas granted to the prisoners to retire to their several homeson condition that they should be

, ready to appear on the first order from the court . The King approved the decree of the tribunal ; Tenucci said that the accused must give bail . They considered this stipulation dishonourable ; their complaints were laid before the King , who instantly disannulled the clause , and the prisoners obtained their liberty by virtue of the first decree .